1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for achieving and maintaining a desired speed for a vehicle on a guideway system.
2. Background Art
Several automated transportation systems have been proposed for transporting motor vehicles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,025, for example, discloses a transportation system including a plurality of pallets that are propelled on a roadway system using linear induction motors, and each pallet may be used to carry a motor vehicle or container. Furthermore, each pallet has a fin that is inserted into a groove in the roadway system for securing the pallets to the roadway system and for inhibiting lane deviation. Motor vehicles equipped with a linear induction motor element and a fin may also travel on the roadway system.
Because linear induction motors are used to propel pallets and/or motor vehicles along the entire roadway system, linear induction motor elements must be installed along the entire length of the roadway system. Consequently, such a roadway system is costly to construct. Furthermore, power plants capable of supplying continuous power to the linear induction motor elements may also be required, thereby further increasing construction costs as well as operating costs.
The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing an improved method of propelling a vehicle on an automated roadway system or guideway system. The method involves utilizing one or more linear induction motors to accelerate the vehicle, and providing speed instructions to the vehicle so as to cause the vehicle to use an alternate power source to maintain a desired cruising speed on the guideway system.
More specifically, a method is provided for controlling operation of a vehicle on a guideway system, wherein the vehicle includes a first element of a linear induction motor and an alternate power source, and the guideway system has an acceleration section including a second element of the linear induction motor, and a computer control system. The method includes utilizing the second element in cooperation with the first element so as to accelerate the vehicle on the acceleration section of the guideway system; and providing speed instructions to the vehicle using the computer control system so as to cause the vehicle to use the alternate power source to maintain a desired cruising speed on a main section of the guideway system.
Because the alternate power source of the vehicle is used to maintain the desired cruising speed along the main section of the quideway system, construction and operating costs of the guideway system may be reduced compared with prior automated transportation systems. Furthermore, because the linear induction motor may be used to partially or fully accelerate the vehicle on the guideway system, the alternate power source of the vehicle may be appropriately sized to efficiently maintain the desired cruising speed on the main section of the guideway system.